Vehicular LED Lamp

ABSTRACT

A vehicular LED lamp includes a mounting seat and a plurality of LED light-emitting units mounted on the mounting seat. Each LED light-emitting unit includes a carrier plate having inner and outer surfaces, a circuit board engaged on the outer surface of the carrier plate, and at least one LED mounted on the circuit board and in contact with the outer surface of the carrier plate. The mounting seat includes a plurality of mounting grooves each having a bottom wall and two side walls with inclined sections. The LED light-emitting units are received in the mounting grooves of the mounting seat, with the inner surface of each carrier plate in contact with the bottom wall of an associated mounting groove, with two sides of each carrier plate abutting the inclined sections of the associated mounting groove.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This is a continuation-in-part application of U.S. patent applicationSer. No. 13/090,302 filed Apr. 20, 2011.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a vehicular LED (light-emitting diode)lamp and, more particularly, to an LED lamp for a vehicle, such as anautomobile, which can quickly reduce the working temperature of theLEDs.

LEDs providing high-luminance are often utilized in vehicular lamps as aresult of development of technology. However, the high workingtemperature of the LEDs causes light attenuation and acceleratesdeterioration of the chips, shortening the service life of the LEDs.Thus, illuminating devices using LEDs is generally mounted on a heatdissipating plate or the like to lower the working temperature of theLEDs by heat exchange with air currents. The service life of the LEDscan be prolonged if the working temperature can be quickly reducedthrough the heat dissipating plate.

Thus, a need exists for a vehicular LED lamp with novel heat dissipatingprovisions for effectively reducing the working temperature of LEDs.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention solves this need and other problems in the fieldof heat dissipation of vehicular LED lamps by providing a vehicular LEDlamp including a mounting seat made of heat conductive material andhaving a front section. The front section of the mounting seat includesfront and rear ends spaced from each other in a longitudinal direction.The front section further includes a plurality of mounting groovesspaced from each other in a circumferential direction about thelongitudinal direction. Each mounting groove extends from the front endto the rear end of the front section in the longitudinal direction. Eachmounting groove includes a rear wall on the rear end, a bottom wallextending from the rear wall to the front end of the front section inthe longitudinal direction, two side walls extending outwardly from twosides of the bottom wall and spaced from each other in a width directionperpendicular to the longitudinal direction, and a groove openingopposite to the bottom wall and defined between the two side walls. Eachside wall of each mounting groove includes an inner section extendingperpendicularly from the bottom wall and an inclined section extendingfrom the inner section toward the groove opening and at an obtuse angleto the inner section. The vehicular LED lamp further includes aplurality of carrier plates each received in one of the mounting groovesof the mounting seat and made of heat-conductive material. Each carrierplate includes outer and inner surfaces spaced from each other in athickness direction perpendicular to the longitudinal and widthdirections. Each carrier plate carries at least one LED on the outersurface. Each carrier plate further includes two sides spaced from eachother in the width direction and has a width in the width direction. Thewidth of each carrier plate is slightly smaller than a width between theinner sections of the two side walls of an associated mounting groove inthe width direction. The inner surface of each carrier plate is incontact with the bottom wall of the associated mounting groove, with thetwo sides of each carrier plate abutting the inclined sections of thetwo side walls of the associated mounting groove.

In a form shown, the vehicular LED lamp further includes a positioningmember fixed to the front end of the mounting seat and abutting thesecond ends of the carrier plates. The positioning member includes aplurality of through-holes extending in the longitudinal direction. Ascrew extends through each through-hole and abuts against the second endof one of the carrier plates. An inclined face is formed on an outerside of the rear wall of each mounting groove and located adjacent tothe groove opening and at an obtuse angle to the longitudinal direction.The first end of each carrier plate abuts the inclined face of the rearwall of the associated mounting groove. Each carrier plate includesfirst and second ends spaced from each other in the longitudinaldirection, and each carrier plate has a length in the longitudinaldirection approximately the same as a length of an associated mountinggroove in the longitudinal direction. Each carrier plate has a thicknessin the thickness direction slightly larger than a thickness of eachinner section of the side walls to the bottom wall of the associatedmounting groove in the thickness direction. The vehicular LED lampfurther includes a heat pipe having an outer periphery. The mountingseat further includes a receptacle in the rear end of the front section,and at least a portion of the heat pipe is received in the receptacle,with the outer periphery of the heat pipe in contact with an innerperiphery of the receptacle. The mounting seat further includes a rearsection extending from the rear end of the front section in thelongitudinal direction. A connector is engaged to the rear section ofthe mounting seat for electrically connection to a power supply of thevehicle. The vehicular LED lamp further includes a circuit board engagedon the outer surface of each carrier plate, and the at least one LED ismounted on the circuit board. A protrusion is formed on the outersurface of each carrier plate. The circuit board includes a slotreceiving the protrusion of an associated carrier plate, with the atleast one LED in contact with the protrusion of the outer surface of theassociated carrier plate.

The present invention will become clearer in light of the followingdetailed description of illustrative embodiments of this inventiondescribed in connection with the drawings.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The illustrative embodiments may best be described by reference to theaccompanying drawings where:

FIG. 1 shows an exploded, perspective view of a vehicular LED lamp of afirst embodiment according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 shows a side view of the vehicular LED lamp of FIG. 1 afterassembly.

FIG. 3 is a sectional view according to section line 3-3 of FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is a sectional view according to section line 4-4 of FIG. 2.

FIG. 5 shows an exploded, perspective view of an LED light-emitting unitof the vehicular LED lamp of FIG. 1.

FIG. 6 shows a sectional view of the LED light-emitting unit of FIG. 5.

FIG. 7 shows an exploded, perspective view of a vehicular LED lamp of asecond embodiment according to the present invention.

FIG. 8 shows a sectional view of the vehicular LED lamp of FIG. 7.

All figures are drawn for ease of explanation of the basic teachings ofthe present invention only; the extensions of the figures with respectto number, position, relationship, and dimensions of the parts to formthe preferred embodiments will be explained or will be within the skillof the art after the following teachings of the present invention havebeen read and understood. Further, the exact dimensions and dimensionalproportions to conform to specific force, weight, strength, and similarrequirements will likewise be within the skill of the art after thefollowing teachings of the present invention have been read andunderstood.

Where used in the various figures of the drawings, the same numeralsdesignate the same or similar parts. Furthermore, when the terms“first”, “second”, “third”, “front”, “rear”, “inner”, “outer”, “end”,and similar terms are used herein, it should be understood that theseterms have reference only to the structure shown in the drawings as itwould appear to a person viewing the drawings and are utilized only tofacilitate describing the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

A vehicular LED lamp 10 according to a first embodiment of the presentinvention is shown in FIGS. 1-6 of the drawings and can be utilized in avehicle, such as an automobile, a motorcycle, or the like. Vehicular LEDlamp 10 includes a mounting seat 22 and a plurality of LEDlight-emitting units 20 mounted on mounting seat 22. Mounting seat 22 ismade of heat conductive material and includes a front section 220 havingfront and rear ends 221 and 222 spaced from each other in a longitudinaldirection. Front section 220 of mounting seat 22 further includes aplurality of mounting grooves 26 each extending from front end 221 torear end 222 in the longitudinal direction. In the form shown, frontsection 220 of mounting seat 22 includes four mounting grooves 26angularly spaced from each other in a circumferential direction aboutthe longitudinal direction. Each mounting groove 26 includes a rear wall261 on rear end 222, a bottom wall 262 extending from rear wall 261 tofront end 221 in the longitudinal direction, two side walls 263extending outwardly from two sides of bottom wall 262, with side walls263 spaced from each other in a width direction perpendicular to thelongitudinal direction, and a groove opening 260 opposite to bottom wall262 and defined between side walls 263 (see FIG. 3). In the form shown,an inclined face 265 is formed on an outer side of rear wall 261 of eachmounting groove 26 adjacent to groove opening 260 and is at an obtuseangle to the longitudinal direction (FIG. 4). Each side wall 263 of eachmounting groove 26 includes an inner section 266 extendingperpendicularly from bottom wall 262 and an inclined section 267extending from inner section 266 toward groove opening 260 and at anobtuse angle to inner section 266 (see FIG. 3). Furthermore, a threadedhole 225 is formed in an end face of front end 221 of mounting seat 22.A receptacle 27 is formed in rear end 222 of front section 220 ofmounting seat 22

Mounting seat 22 further includes a rear section 224 extending from rearend 222 of front section 220 in the longitudinal direction and includinga flange. A connector 21 is engaged to rear section 224 of mounting seat22 for electrically connection to a power supply of the vehicle forproviding the power required for operation of vehicular LED lamp 10. Inthe form shown, a mounting plate 23 is engaged on rear section 224 ofmounting seat 22 for mounting to a lamp hole of the vehicle (not shown),allowing assembly of vehicular LED lamp 10 to the vehicle.

In the form shown, vehicular LED lamp 10 includes four LEDlight-emitting units 20 each of which is mounted in one of mountinggrooves 26 of mounting seat 22. Each LED light-emitting unit 20 includesa carrier plate 28 received in one of mounting grooves 26 of mountingseat 22, a circuit board 29 engaged on carrier plate 28, and at leastone LED mounted on circuit board 29. In the form shown, each carrierplate 28 is made of heat-conductive material and includes outer andinner surfaces 281 and 282 spaced from each other in a thicknessdirection perpendicular to the longitudinal and width directions. Eachcarrier plate 28 further includes first and second ends 283 and 284spaced from each other in the longitudinal direction and has a length inthe longitudinal direction approximately the same as that of anassociated mounting groove 26 of mounting seat 22 in the longitudinaldirection (FIG. 5). Each carrier plate 28 further includes two sides 285spaced from each other in the width direction and has a width in thewidth direction which is slightly smaller than that between innersections 266 of side walls 263 of an associated mounting groove 26 inthe width direction (FIG. 3). Further, each carrier plate 28 has athickness in the thickness direction which is slightly larger than athickness of each inner section 266 of side walls 263 to bottom wall 262of the associated mounting groove 26 in the thickness direction. Wheneach carrier plate 28 is inserted from front end 221 of front section220 of mounting seat 22 in the longitudinal direction and into anassociated mounting groove 26, inner surface 282 of each carrier plate28 is in contact with bottom wall 262 of the associated mounting groove26, with first end 283 of each carrier plate 28 abutting inclined face265 of rear wall 261 of the associated mounting groove 26, with sides285 of each carrier plate 28 abutting inclined sections 267 of sidewalls 263 of the associated mounting groove 26. Furthermore, an elongateprotrusion 286 is formed on outer surface 281 of each carrier plate 28and extends in the longitudinal direction.

In the form shown, two first LEDs 30, a second LED 32, and a third LED34 are mounted on each LED circuit board 29. Activation of first,second, and third LEDs 30, 32, and 34 can be separately controlledaccording to conditions and/or the environment surrounding the vehicle.For example, first and second LEDs 30 and 32 can be separatelycontrolled by a selection/control unit (not shown) to emit white lightbeams, and second LED 32 is activated when first LEDs 30 is in abnormalfunction. Third LED 34 can emit yellow light beams or light beams of acolor other than that of first and second LEDs 30 and 32 to providebetter illumination while driving in a foggy or rainy condition. Eachcircuit board 29 includes an elongate slot 291 corresponding toprotrusion 286 of one of carrier plates 28, and each circuit board 29 isengaged on outer surface 281 of the associated carrier plate 28, withslot 291 receiving an associated protrusion 286, such that first,second, and third LEDs 30, 32, and 34 on each LED circuit board 29 arein contact with outer surface 281 of an associated carrier plate 28(FIG. 6). Furthermore, each circuit board 29 includes electric wires 33which extend through wire holes 264 formed in rear wall 261 of eachmounting groove 26.

Vehicular LED lamp 10 further includes a positioning member 36 mountedto front end 221 of mounting seat 22 for positioning carrier plates 28in mounting grooves 26 of mounting seat 22. In the form shown,positioning member 36 includes a fixing hole 361 extending therethroughin the longitudinal direction. Positioning member 36 is fixed to frontend 221 of mounting seat 22 and abuts second ends 284 of carrier plates28 by a fastener 39 extending through fixing hole 361 into threaded hole225 of mounting seat 22. Further, positioning member 36 includes aplurality of through-holes 362 extending therethrough in thelongitudinal direction and distributed around fixing hole 361. A screw37 extends through each through-hole 362 and abuts against second end284 of one of carrier plates 28 (FIG. 4), allowing carrier plates 28 tobe evenly and tightly pressed in mounting grooves 26. In a case that thelengths of carrier plates 28 are not equal to each other, screws 37 canbe respectively adjusted to abut against second end 284 of respectivecarrier plates 28. Thus, inner surfaces 282 of carrier plates 28 cansurely contact with bottom walls 262 of mounting grooves 26. In the formshown, a cap 35 is mounted to front end 221 of mounting seat 22 forcovering positioning member 36.

Vehicular LED lamp 10 further includes a heat pipe 38 with a heattransfer medium therein. In the form shown, a front portion of heat pipe38 is received in receptacle 27 of mounting seat 22, with an outerperiphery of heat pipe 38 in intimate contact with an inner periphery ofreceptacle 27.

Now that the basic construction of the vehicular LED lamp 10 has beenexplained, some of the advantages of the vehicular LED lamp 10 can beset forth and appreciated. In particular, by cooperation of protrusion286 on outer surface 281 of each carrier plate 28 with slot 291 in eachcircuit board 29, first, second, and third LEDs 30, 32, and 34 are indirect contact with outer surfaces 281 of carrier plates 28, so that theheat generated by first, second, and third LEDs 30, 32, 34 can bedirectly transmitted to carrier plates 28 without heat transmissionthrough circuit board 29. Thus, the working temperature of first,second, and third LEDs 30, 32, and 34 can be quickly reduced.Furthermore, by providing inclined section 267 on each side wall 263 ofeach mounting groove 26, inner surface 282 of each carrier plate 28 isin intimate contact with bottom wall 262 of the associated mountinggroove 26, so that the heat of carrier plates 28 can be effectivelytransmitted to mounting seat 22. Further, since first end 283 of eachcarrier plate 28 adjacent to outer surface 281 abuts inclined face 265on rear wall 261 of an associated mounting groove 26, inner surface 282of each carrier plate 28 is apt to move toward bottom wall 262 of theassociated mounting groove 26, further enhancing contact between carrierplates 28 and mounting seat 22.

FIGS. 7 and 8 show another example of mounting seat 22 and heat pipe 38.In this embodiment, mounting seat 22 further includes a sleeve portion226 extending outward from rear end 222 in the longitudinal directionand beyond rear section 224 of mounting seat 22. Heat pipe 38 includesan extension portion 381 received in sleeve portion 226. A heatdissipation member 41 is mounted around sleeve portion 226 and includesa plurality of fins 411 on an outer periphery thereof to increase thecontact area between heat pipe 38 and the environment, enhancing theheat dissipating efficiency of first, second, and third LEDs 30, 32, and34. In the embodiment, mounting plate 23 is integrally formed with rearsection 224 of mounting seat 22.

Thus since the invention disclosed herein may be embodied in otherspecific forms without departing from the spirit or generalcharacteristics thereof, some of which forms have been indicated, theembodiments described herein are to be considered in all respectsillustrative and not restrictive. The scope of the invention is to beindicated by the appended claims, rather than by the foregoingdescription, and all changes which come within the meaning and range ofequivalency of the claims are intended to be embraced therein.

1. A vehicular LED lamp comprising: a mounting seat (22) made of heatconductive material and including a front section (220), with the frontsection (220) of the mounting seat (22) including front and rear ends(221, 222) spaced from each other in a longitudinal direction, with thefront section (220) further including a plurality of mounting grooves(26) spaced from each other in a circumferential direction about thelongitudinal direction, with each of the plurality of mounting grooves(26) extending from the front end (221) to the rear end (222) of thefront section (220) in the longitudinal direction, with each of theplurality of mounting grooves (26) including a rear wall (261) on therear end (222), with each of the plurality of mounting grooves (26)further including a bottom wall (262) extending from the rear wall (261)to the front end (221) of the front section (220) in the longitudinaldirection, with each of the plurality of mounting grooves (26) furtherincluding two side walls (263) extending outwardly from two sides of thebottom wall (262) and spaced from each other in a width directionperpendicular to the longitudinal direction, with each of the pluralityof mounting grooves (26) further including a groove opening (260)opposite to the bottom wall (262) and defined between the two side walls(263), with each of the two side walls (263) of each of the plurality ofmounting grooves (26) including an inner section (266) extendingperpendicularly from the bottom wall (262), with each of the two sidewalls (263) of each of the plurality of mounting grooves (26) furtherincluding an inclined section (267) extending from the inner section(266) toward the groove opening (260) and at an obtuse angle to theinner section (266); and a plurality of carrier plates (28), with eachof the plurality of carrier plates (28) received in one of the pluralityof mounting grooves (26) of the mounting seat (22) and made ofheat-conductive material, with each of the plurality of carrier plates(28) including outer and inner surfaces (281, 282) spaced from eachother in a thickness direction perpendicular to the longitudinal andwidth directions, with each of the plurality of carrier plates (28)carrying at least one LED on the outer surface (281), with each of theplurality of carrier plates (28) further including two sides (285)spaced from each other in the width direction and having a width in thewidth direction, with the width of each of the plurality of carrierplates (28) slightly smaller than a width between the inner sections(266) of the two side walls (263) of an associated one of the pluralityof mounting grooves (26) in the width direction, with the inner surface(282) of each of the plurality of carrier plates (28) in contact withthe bottom wall (262) of the associated mounting groove (26), with thetwo sides (285) of each of the plurality of carrier plates (28) abuttingthe inclined sections (267) of the two side walls (263) of theassociated mounting groove (26).
 2. The vehicular LED lamp as claimed inclaim 1, further comprising: a positioning member (36) fixed to thefront end (221) of the mounting seat (22) and abutting the second ends(284) of the plurality of carrier plates (28).
 3. The vehicular LED lampas claimed in claim 2, with the positioning member (36) including aplurality of through-holes (362) extending in the longitudinaldirection, with a screw (37) extending through each of the plurality ofthrough-holes (362) and abutting against the second end (284) of one ofthe plurality of carrier plates (28).
 4. The vehicular LED lamp asclaimed in claim 1, with an inclined face (265) formed on an outer sideof the rear wall (261) of each of the plurality of mounting grooves (26)and located adjacent to the groove opening (260) and at an obtuse angleto the longitudinal direction, with the first end (283) of each of theplurality of carrier plates (28) abutting the inclined face (265) of therear wall (261) of the associated mounting groove (26), with each of theplurality of carrier plates (28) including first and second ends (283,284) spaced from each other in the longitudinal direction, with each ofthe plurality of carrier plates (28) having a length in the longitudinaldirection approximately the same as a length of an associated one of theplurality of mounting grooves (26) in the longitudinal direction, witheach of the plurality of carrier plates (28) having a thickness in thethickness direction slightly larger than a thickness of each of theinner sections (266) of the side walls (263) to the bottom wall (262) ofthe associated mounting groove (26) in the thickness direction.
 5. Thevehicular LED lamp as claimed in claim 4, further comprising: apositioning member (36) fixed to the front end (221) of the mountingseat (22) and abutting the second ends (284) of the plurality of carrierplates (28).
 6. The vehicular LED lamp as claimed in claim 5, with thepositioning member (36) including a plurality of through-holes (362)extending in the longitudinal direction, with a screw (37) extendingthrough each of the plurality of through-holes (362) and abuttingagainst the second end (284) of one of the plurality of carrier plates(28).
 7. The vehicular LED lamp as claimed in claim 5, furthercomprising: a heat pipe (38) including an outer periphery, with themounting seat (22) further including a receptacle (27) in the rear end(222) of the front section (220), with at least a portion of the heatpipe (38) received in the receptacle (27), with the outer periphery ofthe heat pipe (38) in contact with an inner periphery of the receptacle(27).
 8. The vehicular LED lamp as claimed in claim 5, with the mountingseat (22) further including a rear section (224) extending from the rearend (222) of the front section (220) in the longitudinal direction, witha connector (31) engaged to the rear section (224) of the mounting seat(22) for electrically connection to a power supply of the vehicle. 9.The vehicular LED lamp as claimed in claim 5, further comprising: acircuit board (29) engaged on the outer surface (281) of each of theplurality of carrier plates (28), with the at least one LED mounted onthe circuit board (29), with a protrusion (286) formed on the outersurface (281) of each of the plurality of carrier plates (28), with thecircuit board (29) including a slot (291) receiving the protrusion (286)of one of the plurality of carrier plates (28), with the at least oneLED in contact with the protrusion (286) of the outer surface (281) ofone of the plurality of carrier plates (28).
 10. An LED light-emittingunit comprising: a carrier plate (28) made of heat-conductive material,with the carrier plate (28) including outer and inner surfaces (281,282), with a protrusion (286) formed on the outer surface (281); acircuit board including a slot (291) corresponding to the protrusion(286) of the carrier plate (28), with the circuit board (29) engaged onthe outer surface (281) of the carrier plate (28), with the slot (291)receiving the protrusion (286); and at least one LED mounted on thecircuit board (29) and in contact with the protrusion (286) of the outersurface (281) of the carrier plate (28).
 11. The LED light-emitting unitas claimed in claim 10, with the carrier plate (28) including first andsecond ends (283, 284) spaced from each other in a longitudinaldirection, with the protrusion (286) being an elongate protrusion andextending in the longitudinal direction, with the slot (291) being anelongate slot (291) and extending in the longitudinal direction, withthe at least one LED including a plurality of LEDs spaced from eachother in the longitudinal direction.